Quick Review: I’m addicted. I forced myself to use it twice a day – but after one week my skin was more balanced and glowing. Now that the bottle is almost gone, its a product on my must-have list.

ESTEE LAUDER MICRO ESSENCE SKIN ACTIVATING TREATMENT LOTION is a treatment step – not to be mistaken for a toner since it is so much more. If you’ve been reading Cosmetic Monster or other beauty blogs, you were bound to come across a review or two about a relatively new beauty category – TREATMENT LOTIONS. Also known as essence-in-lotion, these lotion/serum hybrids are to skin care what BB Creams are to makeup. These turbo-charged lotions have the potential to eliminate the word “toner” from our skin care vocabulary and for good reason.

[Estee Lauder Claim] Tested and proven: In just 2 weeks, skin was more hydrated, smoother, supple. In just 4 weeks, 94% of women said their skin looked healthier, more beautiful.

Estee Lauder Micro Essence has become one of my “desert island” products. After forcing myself to commit to a twice daily application (see below for my application technique), within a week I noticed my skin looked more “glowing”, felt hydrated and just better overall. No – it doesn’t help with breakouts or pigmentation issues, but it certainly kept them in the background and since the quality of the skin was improved, easier to cover. There is a definite difference in my skin when I stop using it.

APPLICATION: I use a medical gauze pad to apply a small amount of lotion to my skin. The gauze doesn’t absorb the product like a cotton pad, but is neater than pouring it into your hand. I gently sweep the pad over my skin (including my eye area – it doesn’t burn my eyes) until the pad is almost dry. When skin is still moist, I apply my other skincare (or sometimes the moisture it provides is enough). This works amazingly well with the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair followed by the CyberWhite HD Night Cream.

MICRO ESSENCE VS. SK-II TREATMENT LOTION & LA MER TREATMENT LOTION – The La Mer Treatment lotion utilizes its signature broth to flood skin with hydration prior to using other products. It has a richer texture and provides more moisture than the Micro Essence or SK-II Treatment Lotion. SK-II utilizes Saccharomycopsis Ferment Filtrate (yeast used to ferment sake and other beverages) whereas Micro Essence uses Bifida Ferment Lysate (probiotic bacteria) and Lactobacillus Ferment (also considered a probiotic). The SK-II lotion is more like a traditional toner in texture and is a wonderful product for more tolerant skin. Some SK-II users report results but also experience irritation – if I use it regularly I get itchy and sometimes get a rash, so I can only use it on occasion.

There aren’t many skincare products that I would use up and even less that I would repurchase. Estee Lauder Micro Essence was a fantastic surprise product that gave my 40+ Asian skin a must needed radiance boost, hydration and desired “glow”. While its hydrating enough to use on its own (for combination or oilier skin types), Micro Essence provides an effective foundation for other skin care products – boosting their efficiency. A product that is definitely worth your attention.

HOW TO USE: Apply with a cotton pad or with your hands.

With a cotton pad: Gently glide saturated cotton pad over face, from the center out. Start at chin and move upwards to cheeks and forehead. Do not apply pressure during application.

With your hands: Pour 5 or 6 drops of Micro Essence in hand and rub hands together. Gently press the Micro Essence into skin from the center out. Start at chin and move upwards to cheeks and forehead. Rub hands together to warm, and then gently wrap face using warm hands to complete application.

**This product was submitted by Estee Lauder Travel Retail representatives for review consideration. This is not an advertisement for this product. All reviews and information is gathered independently by Cosmetic Monster or from press releases – and no compensation is received based on the outcome or sales generated from this review. Cosmetic Monster pays WordPress to be AD FREE and does not participate in affiliate programs – all links are provided to promote products, but without compensation. Only REFERRAL links for sites like Hautelook or Birchbox yield compensation (usually points or credit).

It works well with ANR – but I’ve been using it with all my skin care and love it. I wouldn’t say you HAVE to buy it, but I do notice a marked difference in my skin (particularly in hydration) when I don’t.